She had known Mo Xiuchen for as many years as her cousin had. Yet he said—without the slightest hesitation—that he didn't even know her favorite foods.
And just now, he'd said, "If Ranran doesn't mind, then neither do I." The implication was as clear as daylight.
The subtle yet undeniable ease between him and Wen Ran was equally telling. Even the simplest instruction carried the weight of intimacy—otherwise, with Mo Xiuchen's temperament, when would he ever heed a woman's word?
She suddenly regretted acting on impulse, letting the mere sight of them sitting by the window tempt her into entering and offering a greeting.
Though Mo Xiuchen hadn't explicitly said she wasn't welcome, his demeanor left little doubt—he clearly did not wish to have anyone disrupt the rare quiet moment he shared with Wen Ran.
As he raised his hand to signal the nearby waiter, Shen Yuting instinctively blurted out her objection.
"Xiuchen, there's no need—I just remembered I have something urgent to take care of. I'll be going now."
She stood, then turned to Wen Ran with a smile.
"Ranran, do you have time tomorrow? I'll be off for two days before traveling to another city for a lecture. If you're free, shall we go shopping together?"
Wen Ran returned the smile and nodded. "Sure, I don't have work over the weekend."
Hearing this, Shen Yuting's face lit up. "Perfect. I'll get in touch then."
Wen Ran nodded again. Shen Yuting said no more, but before turning to leave, she cast a complicated glance at Mo Xiuchen. As she lowered her eyes, a faint shadow of disappointment swept across her gaze.
He hadn't said a single word to stop her. She pressed her lips together and walked away with poised elegance, her back straight and her steps measured.
"You didn't ask Yuting to stay for lunch. I think she only said she had something to do as an excuse."
After the meal, as Mo Xiuchen drove her back to the pharmaceutical factory, Wen Ran turned slightly toward him, her face tilted up. A woman's intuition told her that Shen Yuting had left not because of obligations, but because she had been hurt by Mo Xiuchen's cold indifference.
Wen Ran knew Shen Yuting had feelings for Mo Xiuchen—and likely very deep ones. Strangely, though, she didn't resent her the way she did Cheng Jia.
Mo Xiuchen cast a glance at her. Seeing that she was merely asking out of curiosity, not jealousy or suspicion, he smiled faintly and replied calmly, "I've always treated Shen Yuting this way."
"Always?" Wen Ran repeated, her brows lightly furrowed. She sighed softly. "My cousin really is persistent. If it were me, and you treated me with that kind of coldness for over twenty years, I definitely wouldn't keep foolishly liking you."
Mo Xiuchen chuckled. He knew that with Wen Ran's sensitivity and sharp mind, she must have already seen through Shen Yuting's feelings. But he hadn't lied—his attitude toward Shen Yuting had always been lukewarm. Unlike the aversion he held toward other women, with her, he was merely distant, and that in itself made Shen Yuting feel she was special.
His words to her might sound gentle, his gaze polite, even caring at times—but they were entirely devoid of romantic sentiment. At most, he did not treat her as a stranger.
"I've never been like that with you, have I?"
He slowed the car slightly, his gaze soft as it lingered on the woman beside him. Every little expression, every small movement of hers, he found endearing.
Wen Ran pouted and thought for a moment before complaining, in all seriousness, "How could you say that? Right after we got our marriage certificate, you left me at the Civil Affairs Bureau and went on a business trip. I was upset about my brother, and you coldly told me if I cried again, I needn't bother going to the hospital. And then…"
Mo Xiuchen's eyes glimmered with a faint light. He spoke gently, "If I had shown affection from the very beginning, wouldn't you have suspected that I had ulterior motives, or that there was some hidden agenda in marrying you?"
Wen Ran had been on the verge of listing more of his transgressions, but his words broke her train of thought. She blinked, then suddenly laughed.
He was right. If Mo Xiuchen had treated her tenderly from the start, she would have doubted his sincerity. Given his status—and her prior involvement with Mo Zixuan—she would have wondered what he was truly after.
"What are you laughing at?"
Seeing her radiant smile, Mo Xiuchen's mood lifted as well.
"Because I want to. Do I need a reason to laugh?"
Wen Ran didn't want to tell him the real reason, nor did she pursue their earlier topic. Instead, she changed the subject. "Do you think Mo Zixuan will agree to move the wedding up with Zhou Lin?"
Mo Xiuchen curled his lips slightly, clearly uninterested. "Hard to say. He's always followed Xiao Wenqing's lead. Maybe he will, since Zhou Lin's carrying his child."
Wen Ran responded with an "oh," then asked again, "Has Cheng Jia reached out to you in the past few days?"
Mo Xiuchen shook his head. "No. She's probably too ashamed to show her face. According to Xiao Liu, she hasn't left the house in three days."
He had been extremely busy lately—if he met Wen Ran for lunch, he'd return home late at night—so they rarely talked about inconsequential people. As a result, Wen Ran hadn't heard much about Cheng Jia recently.
She shifted slightly, making herself more comfortable in the seat, then asked curiously, "Did Xiao Liu go see her? Do you think he might develop feelings for Cheng Jia? He's never had a girlfriend before."
Mo Xiuchen chuckled lightly, answering with casual detachment, "That's a hard one to answer. Xiao Liu prefers women who are genuinely gentle and virtuous. He's very filial to Zhang Ma and Uncle Liu—he'd never want a wife who mistreats his parents. Cheng Jia's nature is anything but gentle."
"But she's very beautiful. I think, if she sets her mind to it, it wouldn't be hard to make someone like Xiao Liu—who has no experience in love—fall for her."
Women always understand women better.
Wen Ran felt that Cheng Jia was the kind of woman who instinctively drew men's eyes. Whether in dress or demeanor, she exuded seduction. Mo Xiuchen didn't care for her, so he overlooked her allure.
But Xiao Liu was different. They had already been physically involved. Emotionally, something must have shifted in him.
"Did Xiao Liu say something to you?"
Mo Xiuchen's brows furrowed slightly as he fixed his gaze on Wen Ran.
She shook her head. She hadn't really seen much of Xiao Liu in the past two days—he wouldn't have had a chance to say anything. "No, I haven't even run into him. It's just a gut feeling. Forget I said anything."
"Even if he did fall for her, Xiao Liu wouldn't do anything that went against his conscience."
Mo Xiuchen turned back to the road. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, his voice low but resolute. He trusted Xiao Liu in this regard.
Otherwise, he never would've let Cheng Jia stay with him.
Still, Wen Ran's words stirred something in him. Perhaps it was time to call them both in and have a proper talk about what they truly wanted.